Needle guard



- June 24,1958 ,N NTE 2,840,023

NEEDLE GUARD Filed Sept. 28, 1955 United States Patent NEEDLE GUARD Michael Interrante, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 28, 1955, Serial No. 537,104

4 Claims. (Cl. 112-261) This invention relates to needle guards for sewing machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a needle guard for sewing machines which will prevent the sewing machine operator from getting his or her finger caught under the needle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a needle guard of the above type which may be rotated to an operative position and to be retained thereat or to be easily and readily rotated to an inoperative position to be likewise retained thereat by spring means and to permit the needle to be replaced or threaded when in the inoperative position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a needle guard bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and showing the guard in the operative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the guard in the inoperative position and showing in phantom the footbar of a sewing machine;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view shown alone of the mounting block forming a part of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, indicates a rectangular mounting block having a rounded corner 11, the mounting block 10 near the rounded corner 11 being provided with a cylindrical bore 12 therethrough and which receives downwardly therethrough the foot bar 13 of the sewing machine indicated generally at 14. The block is secured to the footbar 13 by means of a set screw 15 screw threaded through the block and bearing on the bore 12, as will be obvious.

A pair of screws 16 are screw threaded into the edge of block 10 remote from the set screw 15 in longitudinally spaced relationship and serves to mount thereat a U- shaped bracket 17 which fixedly mounts at its central portion a vertical bar 18. A leaf spring 19 is secured to the upper end of the bar 18 in spaced relationship thereto by means of the offset end portion 20 and rivet 21.

A shield or guard 22 having a circular opening 23 and an elongated slot 24 communicating therewith is integrally formed with an arcuate stem 25 which is in turn integrally formed at right angles thereto with a shank 26 pivotally mounted within the bracket 17 by means of the pin 27, the

, 2,840,023 Patented June 24, 1958 shank 26 normally abutting the free end of the leaf spring 19 in tensional engagement therewith. Thus, the shield 22 may be rotated to the operative position of Fig. 1, in which position it will protect the fingers of the operator from the needle of the machine or, alternately, it may be easily and readily rotated in a clockwise direction about the axis of pin 27 to the inoperative position of Fig. 2, to permit the changingand threading of the needle.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a needle guard which will prevent the sewing machine operator from getting his or her fingers caught under the needle and which may be easily and readily mounted on the footbars of conventional sewing machines. It should also be apparent that there has been provided a needle guard of the above type wherein the guard may be easily and readily rotated to a spring retained inoperative position to permit the changing and threading of the needle.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what is claimed is:

1. A needle guard comprising, in combination, a flat horizontal mounting block of substantially rectangular configuration having one rounded corner adjacent to one edge, a vertical bore extending perpendicularly through said block adjacent to said rounded corner for adjustably receiving the vertical footbar of a sewing machine, a shield pivotally secured at the opposite edge of said block for reciprocating rotational movement about a horizontal axis spaced outwardly from said mounting block and in a plane extending transversely of said block and normal to the plane defined by the footbar and needle of the machine when in position, and spring means for releasably retaining said shield in a desired rotated position.

2. A needle guard as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting block is adapted to be secured to the footbar of a sewing machine, and said shield is arranged for selective rotation into and out of proximity of the reciprocating sewing machine needle about an axis normal to the longitudinal axes of the needle and footbar when in position.

3. A needle guard according to claim 2, further comprising bracket means for mounting the shield rotatably on said block comprising a U-shaped bracket secured to the edge of said mounting block, said shield having an arcuate stern connecting with a shank rotatably mounted within said U-shaped bracket to permit rotational movement thereabout, said shield comprising a flat plate having a circular opening with an elongated slot extending inwardly from one end thereof and communicating with said circular opening.

4. A needle guard according to claim 3, said spring means for retaining said guard in the adjusted position comprising a vertical arm secured to the central portion of said bracket, and a leaf spring secured at its upper end to said arm in offset relationship thereto, said leaf spring abutting said shank to retain the same in the adjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,000,740 Mashbir Aug. 15, 1911 1,318,173 Peddie Oct. 7, 1919 1,361,741 Miske Dec. 7, 1920 1,410,413 Seaman Mar. 21, 1922 

